TOBACCO TYCOON: Story of James Buchanan Duke

KIRKUS REVIEW

Another panel in the Winkler portrait gallery. The story of farmer boy to famous industrialist is also the story of tobacco. Buck proved to be his father's go-getter son, intent on making money, outdistancing competitors, and capitalizing on his own foresightedness in seeing early the possibilities that cigarettes offered. His championing of methods to increase sales had a modern flavor; his invasion of New York at 33 made him an important figure in American industry. And his colossal consolidations and knockdown dragout fights earned him enemies and friends. This is more than a story of big business, for Winkler gives enough of his personal life, his mistress, marriage and scandal making divorce, his second wife and daughter Doris, his homes and travels. But Big Business is the dominant theme, and there is the clash with the trust busting era, the advertising race of Lucky Strike, Camel, Chesterfield, Old Gold; his interests in textiles, waterpower -- and his benefactions. Dynamic telling of the tale of a man who changed the smoking habits of a nation --who emerges as a rugged individualist rather than a model for future ""tycoons"".

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